Elect Braynon to the Florida Legislature

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Q. What previous actions by you demonstrate that you have the honesty, intergrity, ethics and personal character to be an elected official?

A. For the past 15 years, I have worked in the public sector, worked for or been an elected official and I have never had an ethics complaint filed against me. I have never been arrested, indicted, or accused of a crime. My track record is clear and known publicly. I represent a proud family of public servants for more than four generations from a Florida Teacher of the Year (Lenora Braynon Smith), one of Florida's first African-American judges (Judge Harold L. Braynon Sr.) to my recently deceased grandmother and former North Broward Hospital District Commissioner Cora E. Braynon.

Q. What are your major goals if elected?

A. My major goals are to bring homeowner insurance rates to a reasonable level for the people of Florida. I will make every effort to secure funding for needed infrasructure repair and maintenance within my district. I will find funds for public transit and public sagety projects in the three municipalities in District 103.

Q. What are the proper roles of a state lawmaker?

A. The proper role of a legislator is to balance the state's budget, secure funds in that budget to find projects most needed in their respective district and pass laws that will better the lives of all of Floridians.

Q. What specific programs are needed to make state government less wasteful and more accountable, streamlined, efficient, productive and user-friendly?

A. I will seek to improve state government's response to the eneds of city and county governments. In the areas which I intend to concentrate i.e. infrastructure, public safety and economic development, I will attempt to review the responsible departments and agencies and better understand their revenue sources and ensure theri spending priorities match the reported mission. The effectiveness of those agencies should be evaluated utiltizing standardized management tools that many government agencies have recently incorporated.

Q. In what specific areas would you like to reduce or increase state spending, and why?

A. I specficially noted that Housing Trust Funds should be used for the intended purpose -- housing programs that provide assistance for affordable housing initiatives. This would increase available funds for housing from an existing fund without the need to raise additional taxes. A cap was imposed that limits the amount of affordable housing. This action by the prior administration and backed by the legislature increased the lack of affordability for workforce families during the most recent housing boom. With the current housing bust, I hope we can reconsider those previous actions and bring affordability back to the housing market.

Q. Rate the performance of the Legislature and suggest improvements.

A. The Florida Legislature was a more collegial body during the last session than in previous years. They worked across party lines to find solutions to some issues, but I believe they ignored or didn 't give enough attention to some very important issues. They were able to come to a compromise about property taxes, but did almost nothing meaningful about homeowners insurance. They are not always focused on the important issues.

Q. Briefly discuss your views on the following:

a. Reforming the tax system.

The State Budget and Tax Reform Commission should have been given an opportunity to make recommendations before the Amendment 1 vote.

b. Improving the economy.

If we can solve the property insurance and tax issue, we will see an improvement in the state's economy. Additionally, the diversity of our economic base will provide the state an opportunity to have more than the current construction and tourist-based economies.

c. Fighting crime.

We must deal with crime as a community. It is not just a problem the police must solve. More funds must be directed toward community policing. Citizens must feel a bond with law enforcement officers and community policing builds that bond. If you know the officer in your area, you are more likely toreport crimes, suspicious people or problems areas.

d. Coping with problems of the underclass.

The government should help the underclass to empower themselves through training and education. There should be more programs that provide training for a trade or skill to high school age children. A job and steady income are great ways to move from underclass to working class.

e. Transportation concerns.

I will empahasize the need and seek funding to improve South Florida's two major commuter rail lines. The current South Florida Tri-County Rail Authority has made great strides in double tracking their entire line. Their service levels and ridership have really grown. However, it stillr eamins the one and only line. A parallel line along the FEC tracks is still behind scheducle and needs to move along in a very complex partnership among cities, counties, the RTA, the state Department of Transportation and the FEC, which owns the tracks.

Broward is in great need of an east-west link to the Tri-Rail line. Miami Dade County is in great danger of losing the North Corridor of Metro-Rail, which would serve the heavy poppulated southwest Broward. I will work with federal, state and local officials to get all these critical projects the funding they need to become a reality. Any succesful rail project must include getting people off our crowded highways and streets while also reducing our carbon footprint.

f. Protecting the environment and regulating growth.

We must be ever mindful of the ability to provide clean water to the citizens of Florida. Our growth should take in account our unique natural resources. A serious review of our existing aged infrastructure could provide a new venue for redevelopment in older communities.

g. Improving health and social services.

There are currently no major healthcare facilities in District 103. From a healthcare and economic standpoint, we need those types of services. I am also concerned abouyt indigent care for many of our uninsured throughout the state.